Developer: Treyarch Publisher: EA
Released: March 22, 1999 Rated: E 6/10
The greatest tragedy of Triple Play 2000, in a problem that persists with EA Sports to this day, is that the “real” version of the game is on PlayStation. Despite both being developed by future powerhouse studio Treyarch, the version of Triple Play 2000 released on CDs is still fondly remembered as a standout iteration and received critical acclaim upon release. The N64 version? Middle of the road, in every sense of the phrase.
Probably what holds Triple Play 2000 back most noticeably is its graphics, none of which really seem to flatter the sport, the parks, or the players involved. Middling resolution and low-poly player models are one thing, but even the color of the grass on the diamond just doesn’t look right a lot of the time. Just generally below par on visuals from the EA Sports brand, the usual forerunners of yearly sports sims.
As for gameplay, again, completely middle of the pack, it’s a step below All-Star Baseball’s fully in-depth sim, but still slower and tougher than either game with Ken Griffey Jr. in the title. It can really only compete with Acclaim or Nintendo’s offerings by offering the same level of features, not the addictive gameplay found in either competitor. And yet, Triple Play is still streets ahead of both one-off baseball titles released in the US, sitting precisely in the middle of not only the rankings for baseball, but quite possibly the middle of the entire spectrum for N64 sports titles.
Continuing Legacy
The Triple Play moniker stuck to EA Sports’ baseball efforts for a few years, but the franchise quickly declined, though it never missed a yearly release before bouncing back with the rebranded name MVP Baseball. Though it only lasted three years under this name with the MLB license (and two more after with the NCAA baseball license) MVP Baseball 2005 is still considered one of the greatest baseball games ever made.
Additional Information
Saves: Cartridge
Compatible With: Rumble Pak
Players: 1-2
Print Guides: None
Aggregate Critical Reception (GameRankings): 64.75%, based on 13 reviews
Other Releases: None (only the PS1 version was released in Europe)
My Streams
Commercials and Print Ads
